F/B Superferry Hellas

F/B SUPERFERRY Hellas

Photo © Stefanos Antoniadis, Venice #1633

Ship	Superferry Hellas (1998)	Building Spec.	1987 at Mitsubishi H.I., Shimonoseki, Japan, N° 899
Call Sign	SWPG	IMO Number	8616336
GRT	27.320	DWT	6.246
Dimensions	187,1 x 27 x 3,3	Engines	2 Mitsubishi - MAN, 19.077 kW
Speed	23,5 knots	Passengers	1.600
Beds	530 in 170 cabine	Cars	900
Lane Metres	2.000	Sister Ships	Victory
Registry Port	Piraeus	Flag	Greek
Former Owners	Higashi Nippon Ferry 1987-99	Former names	Varuna 1987-99
New Owners	Blue Star Ferries 2000à	New Names	Blue Horizon 2000à
Line

Named “Varuna” when in Japanese service (as the “Lato” of ANEK), was built by the leading Japanese yard Mitsubishi of Shimonoseki for the service between Oarai (Honshu) and Muroran (Hokkaido); after the delivery of her sister “Victory” (actually owned and operated by Grandi Navi Veloci with the same name) was moved to Sendai (Honshu) – Tomakomai (Hokkaido) line. The ferry was bought by Strintzis lines in 1998 and brought to Greece by a Master of my same Greek town, for being refitted at Perama; however the ferry still resembles the original “Varuna”. The “Superferry Hellas” started together with “Ionian Victory” in 1999 the new direct service Ancona - Patras in 23 hours (From Ancona Monday at 14.00, Tuesday and Wednesday at 20.00; from Patras Sunday at 12.00, Monday and Tuesday at 18.00) and the line Venice - Corfu - Igoumenitsa - Patras (From Venice Friday and Saturday at 20.00, from Patras Wednesday and Thursday at 24.00). In November 1999 I travelled aboard this ship from Patras to Ancona: The passenger areas are not very big but nice. Since 2000 she was repainted with Blue Star Ferries brands and renamed “Blue Horizon”, then deployed on Venice - Corfu - Igoumenitsa - Patras line, leaving Venice Tuesday at 19 and Saturday at 12.00; leaving Patras Thursday and Sunday at 24.00. The Venice line was performed also on 2001, 2002 and 2003, then in October the ferry was moved to Bari – Igoumenitsa – Patras line in substitution of the sold “Superfast II”. On 2004, after a short spell in winter on Piraeus – Chania line, covering the refit period of “Blue Star 2”, is again on Bari line, sailing three times a-week to Igoumenitsa and Patras and once only to Igoumenitsa, alongside Superfast vessels. In 2005 has a daily service operating in pair with “Blue Star 1”.

HIGASHI NIHON FERRY F/B Varuna Photo by courtesy of Tsuyoshi Ishiyama

Photo © Michele Lulurgas, Patras, 22/11/99

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